Selling at a small market

[FrogPrincesse]

Hello everyone,

My daughter's school organizes a holiday market every year, and this year she would like to participate (she is 10). The market is exactly one month away and we've never done this. We are thinking of selling mostly food items, and maybe a few crafts too.

 

My idea is to sell a variety of jams (seasonal fruit, marmalades too hopefully, if I can find the type of citrus that I need before the market date), cookies, and pickles (which are super easy to make). With her friend, they are going to make little friendship bracelets to sell as well, and they will help me tending the booth, which will be a great experience for them. 

 

I am starting this thread to document the process and because I would be interested in any advice that those of you who have experience selling your wares might have!

 

I have a couple of folding tables I can use for the booth, and a friend is going to lend me a canopy. I still have to verify that it's within the allowed 10 x 10 size.

Next, I will be thinking of decorating the booth. And then of course, I will start making things to sell... I am trying to figure out how much inventory I am going to need.

 

Another question has to do with payment options. There are credit card readers that are free (square) so I am considering getting one. Of course they take a commission on the sales (that is about 3%). Does anybody has any experience with those? Or should I not bother since this is a one-time thing, and only accept cash?

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[Lisa Shock]

I have a lot of experience with PayPal. They take about 3% of sales. That said, many people, myself included, rarely carry cash. Paypal does offer a reader, but, in many cases you can just have people log into their paypal accounts and pay you with something called paypalme.

 

Be prepared to have a samples tray for any food items. If you bring jams, also being some saltines to serve them on.

 

In terms of the booth, be prepared for wind. It might not happen, but best to be prepared if it does. Don't forget to bring a couple of chairs, and a cooler for your lunch and some drinks.

 

One idea you might try is to make up some tins of cookies. People can then buy them and give as gifts, maybe even tell people they made them themselves. Good luck!

[chromedome]

The canopy should be the right size; 10 X 10 is the most common (and those that aren't are usually smaller, rather than bigger). One thing to check is the legs. Most brands stand up vertically, but a few splay the legs and may take up more space than the stated canopy size. 

[ElainaA]

When my daughter was in elementary school I used to do a table at their Holiday Fair. I sold "Breakfast in a Bag" - a clear bag with jam or jelly and homemade English muffins or a miniature loaf of nice bread. That always went over well. There were always lots of parents (usually Moms) with cookies and cake but rarely bread. Another thing you might consider are homemade dog biscuits - there are lots of recipes out there. In my experience putting an item in a clear treat bag with a bow makes it more sale-able that the same item just sitting on a table.

(My nephew lives just outside of SanDiego, in LaJolla. I am pretty sure that his daughters' school have a holiday fair also - Probably not the same one?)

Edited November 10, 2016 by ElainaA (log)

[liuzhou]

You may well have looked into this, but if not, I'd suggest you check for any local food safety or other regulations.

[pastrygirl]

I'm sure you meant 3%, not 3$. I'm a big fan of square, its easy to use and convenient for customers, especially if you'll have items costing more than a few dollars. Also a good way to track sales. Do people know to bring cash to the event?  Also make sure to have lots of small bills for making change. 

[FrogPrincesse]

Thanks for all the advice so far! Please keep it coming... This is super useful.

 

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

I'm sure you meant 3%, not 3$. I'm a big fan of square, its easy to use and convenient for customers, especially if you'll have items costing more than a few dollars. Also a good way to track sales. Do people know to bring cash to the event?  Also make sure to have lots of small bills for making change. 

 

You are absolutely right, the fee is 2.75%. The reader does sound convenient, but it's also asking me for a business name which may have other implications... so I am still wondering if I should go that route. People will bring cash I am sure, and I will make sure to go to the bank and get a lot of change before the event.

I will probably encourage cash transactions as much as possible, and will have the reader as a back up in case someone didn't bring any.

 

I am hoping that my daughter & her friend will be in charge of tracking sales (with some minor supervision on my end). Maybe a little clipboard with a list. I don't think we will be inundated with buyers, so it should be fairly easy.

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

11 hours ago, liuzhou said:

You may well have looked into this, but if not, I'd suggest you check for any local food safety or other regulations.

 

I have a little bit. I looked at the California regs for the items I am allowed to sell. California has a "cottage food law" that was passed a few years ago and has that info.

Of course, now that I am going through it again, I realize I probably have to nix my pickle idea unless the law was updated. Pickles require special permits etc because of the risk of botulism... Bummer.

 

Jams & cookies are allowed. I know that I will have to study the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) about the specific requirements for jams.

Edited November 11, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

4 hours ago, ElainaA said:

When my daughter was in elementary school I used to do a table at their Holiday Fair. I sold "Breakfast in a Bag" - a clear bag with jam or jelly and homemade English muffins or a miniature loaf of nice bread. That always went over well. There were always lots of parents (usually Moms) with cookies and cake but rarely bread. Another thing you might consider are homemade dog biscuits - there are lots of recipes out there. In my experience putting an item in a clear treat bag with a bow makes it more sale-able that the same item just sitting on a table.

(My nephew lives just outside of SanDiego, in LaJolla. I am pretty sure that his daughters' school have a holiday fair also - Probably not the same one?)

 

Some good ideas here. Although I have to note that this is a French school, so there will be plenty of bread items already!

 

About packaging, I have little clear cellophane bags already, so all the items that are not in jars will be in these bags, with a silver twist tie.

[FrogPrincesse]

4 hours ago, chromedome said:

The canopy should be the right size; 10 X 10 is the most common (and those that aren't are usually smaller, rather than bigger). One thing to check is the legs. Most brands stand up vertically, but a few splay the legs and may take up more space than the stated canopy size. 

I am double-checking because it's important. I don't want to realize at the last minute that the canopy I intended to use isn't allowed at the market!

[FrogPrincesse]

7 hours ago, Lisa Shock said:

I have a lot of experience with PayPal. They take about 3% of sales. That said, many people, myself included, rarely carry cash. Paypal does offer a reader, but, in many cases you can just have people log into their paypal accounts and pay you with something called paypalme.

 

Be prepared to have a samples tray for any food items. If you bring jams, also being some saltines to serve them on.

 

In terms of the booth, be prepared for wind. It might not happen, but best to be prepared if it does. Don't forget to bring a couple of chairs, and a cooler for your lunch and some drinks.

 

One idea you might try is to make up some tins of cookies. People can then buy them and give as gifts, maybe even tell people they made them themselves. Good luck!

I will keep paypal as a back-up option, although not everyone has an account.

 

Samples... I was thinking of getting little taster spoons like these. But I don't really want to spend close to $10 for a bunch of plastic spoons...  Also it's a lot of waste. Maybe something like these little wood ones (at least they are compostable). More research needed...

 

Good ideas about the chairs, cooler, etc.

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[pastrygirl]

For tasting jam, coffee stir sticks are good and cheap. The wood ones about 1/4 inch wide. You can even cut them in half if too long. 

[FrogPrincesse]

Just now, pastrygirl said:

For tasting jam, coffee stir sticks are good and cheap. The wood ones about 1/4 inch wide. You can even cut them in half if too long. 

Thank you, that's a great idea.

[Smithy]

For tastings, what about something edible along the lines of pretzel sticks?  One of our markets does that for their salsas, jams and other condiments.  I'm not much of a jam-and-pretzel stick fan, but for getting the idea of the flavor it works.

 

Cash is of course preferable for all concerned, but what about checks? Is your venue too large and potentially dishonest for that?

[FrogPrincesse]

Just now, Smithy said:

For tastings, what about something edible along the lines of pretzel sticks?  One of our markets does that for their salsas, jams and other condiments.  I'm not much of a jam-and-pretzel stick fan, but for getting the idea of the flavor it works.

 

Cash is of course preferable for all concerned, but what about checks? Is your venue too large and potentially dishonest for that?

It's a small venue, so checks could be another back-up option for payment.

 

For jam, bread seems like natural pairing. I could bake some, if time permits, and use it for samples.

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
clarification (log)

[Lisa Shock]

1 hour ago, FrogPrincesse said:

I will keep paypal as a back-up option, although not everyone has an account.

 

Samples... I was thinking of getting little taster spoons like these. But I don't really want to spend close to $10 for a bunch of plastic spoons...  Also it's a lot of waste. Maybe something like these little wood ones (at least they are compostable). More research needed...

 

Good ideas about the chairs, cooler, etc.

 

 

With PayPal, a buyer does not need to have an account, just a credit card. If you already have an account, it may be the easiest way to go.

[FrogPrincesse]

Just now, Lisa Shock said:

 

With PayPal, a buyer does not need to have an account, just a credit card. If you already have an account, it may be the easiest way to go.

Ok, I see. Thanks for clarifying!

[Lisa Shock]

Another item you could sell would be herbed salts. Get a good salt in a large container, I just saw a 5 pound jar of pink at Tuesday Morning, and then think up herb mixes. For example, I make a mix for a friend who doesn't cook much, it's designed for roast chicken: salt, ground black lemon, rosemary, chile flakes. (I buy the black lemon already in chopped up form and then grind it smaller)

[FrogPrincesse]

This fairly old thread was for selling chocolates at markets, but I found that it had a lot of great information (I am slowly going through the 73 posts...)

And in the addition to my local site that I had already linked, I found more good links with info about regulations, although some of it seems more geared towards businesses. Surely I don't need to register as a business if this is a one-time bake-type sale?!  

(I am pretty sure there is an exemption since this is organized by the school).

 

http://sdcottagefoods.com

http://forrager.com/law/california/

http://foodstarter.com/how-to-start-a-food-business-in-california-with-the-cottage-food-law/

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
completeness/clarification (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

For the jams, I would prefer to sell them in smaller 6 ounces jars because I don't want to charge too much by jar. (My batches are small, I only use the best local, organic, seasonal fruit,  and I spend a lot of time on them.) However I am limited by the type of jars I can find easily and at a reasonable cost. So far the best option for me has been 8 oz mason jars that I can get for about $8 for a dozen.

I have to calculate my costs, although I am obviously not doing this to make money (it's more like a fun thing to educate myself and my daughter about what it's like to make & sell things that you make). It's more to make sure that I recover most of it!

 

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Here are some price points for similar artisanal jams made in California (per ounce price in parentheses).

 

Blue Chair Fruit - $13 for 6 oz ($2.2)

Robert Lambert - $14 for 8 oz ($1.8)

Inna Jam - $13.50 for 10 oz ($1.4)

Frog Hollow - $9 for 8 oz ($1.1)

We Love Jam - $10 for 9 oz ($1.1)

 

Then here in San Diego, there is a jam company that is pretty well distributed, but their products look a lot more like industrial jams with TONS of pectin, so I don't feel they are really up to par with the ones I listed above or with what I make.

Jackie's Jams - $6.50 for 8 oz ($0.8)

 

I was thinking $9 for 8 oz. I know I would be willing to pay that kind of price.

 

As a side note, I came across this article about a local jam-maker who does this just for the fun and doesn't sell, but won many prizes. She has lots of good tips. They mention that in one year, she made as many as 43 flavors!

I think I am closer to a more reasonable ~ 10 in the past 12 months...

(Trying to remember them all: aprium, persimmon (not great, this was the only batch I used pectin in, and I hated the stiff consistency), Bartlett pear & vanilla, yuzu marmalade, chinotto marmalade, ponderosa lemon marmalade, bouquet de fleurs marmalade, strawberry (a partial failure - too liquid), saffron & peach, quince with citrus zest & cardamom, fig & vanilla, and I am sure I forget one or two!).

But sadly these are long gone now, eaten or given to friends & family. I will need to make new batches to sell, with the fruit I can find between now and the beginning of next month!

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
format (log)

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, FrogPrincesse said:

So far the best option for me has been 8 oz mason jars that I can get for about $8 for a dozen.

 

The little 4 oz quilted jars are a little more expensive ($9.87/dozen currently on Amazon) but you'd be able to make twice as many jars.  I like using these little guys for gifts as I can put several flavors into a gift bag.

[FrogPrincesse]

Just now, blue_dolphin said:

 

The little 4 oz quilted jars are a little more expensive ($9.87/dozen currently on Amazon) but you'd be able to make twice as many jars.  I like using these little guys for gifts as I can put several flavors into a gift bag.

I like these, but they seem a bit small! Some of my jam-eating friends eat a lot of jam, and these contain barely enough to cover a piece of toasted bread or two!  

Edited November 10, 2016 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[blue_dolphin]

50 minutes ago, FrogPrincesse said:

I like these, but they seem a bit small! Some of my jam-eating friends eat a lot of jam, and these contain barely enough jam to cover a piece of toasted bread or two!  

You are right, they are small -  half the size of the 8 ounce jars that I use for my jam-eating friends - though I don't know anyone who's used a full 4 oz of jam on one piece of toast!   If  I'm not sure they will like it or I want to give a variety of flavors, especially with more unusual flavor combinations, I find these handy.  I have some friends who don't eat much jam but appreciate having some of my little jars on hand to put out when they have house guests.

[FrogPrincesse]

Guest jams! I love it.

 

Sourcing the fruit for my jams...

November is a bit of a tough month. The interesting (bitter) citrus are not available yet, fig season just ended, and pear season has barely started. Right now the only interesting thing seems to be quince, but I don't have much experience with it. I have three large pineapple quinces and will make a small batch that I may or may not end up selling depending on yield & results (if it's bad, obviously I won't try to sell it, but if it's really good, I may keep it for myself!).

 

My main sources for fruit are Specialty Produce (I buy from their local organic inventory, what they call "Farmers' Market" in their inventory) and the local farmers markets. Usually price is not really a concern because I make small batches,  but this time I will be making larger quantities so I have to watch cost.

A few days ago I got really excited when I saw that a rare variety of kumquat, fukushu, had become available. However they are priced at close to $9 per pound, which didn't seem reasonable (I had planned on buying about 4 pounds). So I passed.